In Search of a Rainbow

by Aswad Zeev

Chapter 10: 100 laps for Soarin

As the new day dawned, three very tired ponies trotted into Appaloosa. Grateful to finally be back in civilization.

Despite being ready to drop, Spitfire saw Braeburn's cart already set up for the day's sales. There in front of the cart was a pale blue pegasus in a Wonderbolts uniform, already with one pie in hoof and halfway through devouring another.

She quietly trotted up behind him before yelling “HOW MANY PIES HAVE YOU STUFFED DOWN YOUR GREEDY THROAT?”

Soarin jumped 20ft into the air, dropping both pies before he started using his wings and spotted Spitfire in her tattered uniform.

“Um, your back?” replied Soarin around a mouthful of apple pie he nearly choked up.

He slowly flew back down glancing at Dash and Daring.

He tried to rush over to Rainbow Dash to check out her broken wings but he fell flat as Spitfire stood on his tail.

She turned to Braeburn, who was looking on blurry eyed in half amusement, half concern. “How many pies did this fat ass get through in a day and a half?”

“There was twenty for the Wonderbolts and another six for him, plus the two he just dropped.”

Spitfire turned back to Soarin. “Eight Pies? You nearly ate eight whole pies? If I was your mother, I'd have your wings clipped and you'd be grounded! Instead, when we get back you'll be doing double time to make up for it. Plus we need someone to cover while Rainbow recovers. You can start by doing a hundred laps of this town, and then a hundred more laps of the course before AND after I re-design it!”

He groaned in horror at the thought of so many laps made his head spin before Spitfire dragged him off to find any other Wonderbolts awake to watch him, while she found somewhere to sleep.

Braeburn gave a curt nod to Dash and Daring as they walked up after that show.

“Howdy Ladies, Ms. Dash, and Ms. Do. I see you made it back in one piece. Quite an adventure was it?”

Rainbow scoffed “Hey Braeburn, how do you know who daring do is?”

“Applejack told me in her letters. Plus while we haven't met yet Ms. Do, I have seen you pass through here on a few occasions. Didn't know at the time, but I've read about them.”

Braeburn turned back to Rainbow Dash “Applejack told me about the fiasco with the books in one of her letters. So whenever we get a bookseller coming through town, I always check to see if they have one. That's how I recognize you through the cover.”

Braeburn passed the pair of them a pie each. “Here, have these, you both look like you need it, and don't worry about paying me, I'll look forward to reading about this adventure and that will be payment enough.”

Epilogue

The Changeling queen hissed in fury, How dare the minion let her down, and one of those damn element ponies got away. She was so close to setting the trap to get rid of those insects.

She punched the wall of the hive and everyone felt her fury as the whole hive shook. Still, at least there was one small consolation prize, the Changeling before her, quivered in fear. While out on her mission among the ponies and cats, she'd been able to soak up a lot of love the queen could feed on.

To satiate her fury and hunger the queen began to feed on the vast amounts of magical energy.

Soon, a few more agents would return, and they too would be bringing more love energy with them and then the Changeling army would be strong again, and not have to rely on those useless cats who claimed to be “allies”. One day soon, the truce would be broken and she'd be coming for revenge on “all” of Equestria's citizens, no matter their species!

Comments

[zzzzzz]

Another pointless villainization of Lightning Dust while trying to make incompetent Spitfire look better.

"Yes, your right Lightning Dust could never keep up with Rainbow, I know she pushes herself hard but she doesn't have Dash's discipline. That's why when I realised it, I made Dash a lead Pony and gave Dust the boot."

Dashie and Dusty were equally good fliers.
A GOOD captain would give Lightning the guidance and training she needed instead of publicly humiliating her and kicking her out as soon as something went wrong.
Too bad that Spitfire is not a good captain.

Meanwhile hovering outside Lightning Dust was hovering with her "partner" if she could call "it" that. It was a changeling and it made her feel uncomfortable but "it's" employer was paying her well to get her sweet revenge so she couldn't complain.

Lightning is neither evil nor dumb and would never ally with Chrysalis.

Seriously Lightning Dust, I still had some hope for you if you'd just learn to stop trying to show off

Blatant hypocrisy.
Spitfire encouraged her all the time instead of correcting her behaviour early.

A well deserved downvote.

[Aswad Zeev]

8942315
Duly noted miss-representation of Lightning Dust. She was added into the story more to make it work than because i needed a stupid villian. When i next write her into one of my fics i will endeavor to improve on her character.

[Aswad Zeev]

8942315
I do however have to make a few pointers to your complaint.

It is established in the show, that Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were the best of the flies at the camp. Not that they were equally good. Certainly Spitfire noticed that Lighting Dust pushed herself harder than Rainbow Dash. It was that drive that made Spitfire choose to make Lightning Dust the Lead Pony.

Secondly, It is not established what happened between Lighting and Spitfire after Spitfire removed Lighting Dust's Lead Pony Status. Lighting Dust might have done somthing reckless off screen, for example cause or attempt to cause some major damage as a follow up to her previous reckless actions.

Spitfire was not previously aware of how reckless Lightning Dust was being, until Rainbow Dash confronted her. That does not make Spitfire a bad captain, but having it suddenly brought to her attention meant she had to act quickly, and that meant publicly. It does however make Spitfire a Captain who was too busy with other things to properly see Lightning Dust's actions.

Thirdly, In my story Lighting Dust does not ally herself with Chrysalis. In fact she is compleatly ignorant of Chrysalis's involvement. Only Ahuizotl and the changeling's involvement.

I am not defending that i portrayed Lightning Dust in a poor light, but that to say Lighting Dust is the victim is to ignore all the evidence and some conjecture regarding off screen activity. My fic did not spesify what exactly happened, only that whatever did happen concluded off screen regarding Pinkie Pie giving the care package to Spitfire. The end of the episode shows Rainbow Dask doing the laps of the course, but not the fate of the care package or of Lightning Dust. Everything else is just conjecture, which can take one of several different routes both good and bad.

As i said previously, in my next use of her, i will make it a better character portrail.

[zzzzzz]

8942423
Lightning would love to reconcile with Rainbow and reenter the academy (and I would love to see that in an episode).
Wind Rider would be a much better choice for a villain.

8942990

It is established in the show, that Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were the best of the flies at the camp. Not that they were equally good. Certainly Spitfire noticed that Lighting Dust pushed herself harder than Rainbow Dash. It was that drive that made Spitfire choose to make Lightning Dust the Lead Pony.

I think it is pretty safe to call them equally good (and much better than any other cadet).
On the Dizzitron Dusty even surpassed Dashie.

Secondly, It is not established what happened between Lighting and Spitfire after Spitfire removed Lighting Dust's Lead Pony Status. Lighting Dust might have done somthing reckless off screen, for example cause or attempt to cause some major damage as a follow up to her previous reckless actions.

She was publicly shamed and disgraced and led away to never be seen again. That means an expulsion.
She also never tried to cause damage or harm anypony.
The tornado was an unfortunate accident that was certainly not only her fault, she just overestimated herself.

By the way, TECHNICALLY Lightning did actually nothing wrong; she broke no rules and never disobeyed an order.

Spitfire was not previously aware of how reckless Lightning Dust was being, until Rainbow Dash confronted her. That does not make Spitfire a bad captain, but having it suddenly brought to her attention meant she had to act quickly, and that meant publicly. It does however make Spitfire a Captain who was too busy with other things to properly see Lightning Dust's actions.

Spitfire was present all the time and did nothing but praise her (except during the tornado incident when she was busy signing her autographs).
If she corrected Dusty earlier the incident would never have happened.
Spitfire could have talked to Dusty, give her additional training, order her to do manual chores as a punishment and made her Dashies wingpony so that could learn from her and have a positive influence.
That would have been the right thing to do.
Instead she kicked her out without even a warning or a chance to redeem and prove herself.
To add insult to injury, she humiliated her in front of the whole academy instead of doing it in her office.

Spitfire is certainly not a good captain and I did not even mention how she treated Soarin in Rainbow Falls.

Thirdly, In my story Lighting Dust does not ally herself with Chrysalis. In fact she is compleatly ignorant of Chrysalis's involvement. Only Ahuizotl and the changeling's involvement.

I think she is intelligent enough to know who the queen of the changelings is.

I am not defending that i portrayed Lightning Dust in a poor light, but that to say Lighting Dust is the victim is to ignore all the evidence and some conjecture regarding off screen activity. My fic did not spesify what exactly happened, only that whatever did happen concluded off screen regarding Pinkie Pie giving the care package to Spitfire. The end of the episode shows Rainbow Dask doing the laps of the course, but not the fate of the care package or of Lightning Dust. Everything else is just conjecture, which can take one of several different routes both good and bad.

Dusty may not be flawless but she is not the monster many fanfictions make her and regretted what happened.
She was made the scapegoat for everything that went wrong and deserved better than being publicly humiliated and heartbroken.

Rainbow is one of my favorite characters but she did everything what Dusty did, too (without speaking up or being ordered).
She did even worse by blowing up a factory, intentionally messing up an public air show where civilists were present and even almost drowning one of her students and still was forgiven.

As i said previously, in my next use of her, i will make it a better character portrail.

I hope so.
What I would love to read is a story where Dashie reconciles with Dusty and helps her back into the academy.
Dusty deserves friendship and a happy ending.

[Tempestus]

Not bad